Page 53 of Run From Me

“I did. Now go back in there while we wait for Cas and all the shit you need for that cat of yours.”

The heat of her body was still pressed against my back as she tried to get around me, but I simply took a few steps backward, forcing her into the apartment.

“You can’t just leave him out there,” she said.

I slammed the door and turned around to find Rylee cleaning up the water by the sink.

“Cali, he’ll be gone in a second. Trust me. It’s almost impressive what they can do to make a body disappear.”

I nodded to Rylee and smiled.

“Calliope? Why didn’t you tell me he’s been stopping by?”

She shrugged.

“I assumed you had some direct line to that camera system and already knew and didn’t fucking care.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked back over to Rylee.

What the fuck? I wasn’t telling her I did get notifications, but I’d apparently been neglectful while trying to sort out this whole poison thing.

“This is the kind of shit you text me. Not just asking if I died from an infection.”

She shrugged. “Oh, I’m sorry. No one told me the rules on when to contact a prick,” she said.

I took a deep breath like that was going to help.

Did she really think she could use me and then ignore me? No, wait. Did she really think that I had used her?

“What the fuck are you talking about, Calliope?”

I took a step toward her, and then the chime for the security camera went off, and Cali turned away from me without ever looking up.

I didn’t bother looking behind me because Rylee was already running for the door. She at least had the sense to not open a door unless it was Cas.

“Hey, babe,” said Rylee. I could hear her talking to him as she let him in, but I still wasn’t looking their way. I was too busy trying to rein in my demons.

Why was this the woman getting under my skin?

Why is it that this woman couldn’t seem to be okay with me doing something right, for once. Fuck me. She wasn’t like any of the women I’d met before. Something about her got under my skin while still making me want to… to what?

“Hey, Xander.” Cas’s hand was on my shoulder, his finger biting into the pressure point as he leaned closer to talk to me in a whisper no one else would hear.

“Rylee said you seem on edge. Maybe it’s time you leave?”

Fuck. The more I tried to focus on what he was saying, the more I realized that my chest was heaving like I’d just fought ten straight matches in a row.

“No. I’m fine.” I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Right. Fine. Is that why our boys are cleaning up a dead Viper off the floor?” Cas asked and stepped away.

I needed to get my shit together. Needed to get my head on straight before I ended up hurting someone or, worse, ended up hurting her.

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

Cas stepped an arm’s length away while he studied me.

“Okay. Well let’s go. We’ve got things to do. Here’s the stuff for the cat. Cali, you let us know if you need anything else. Rylee seems to have a soft spot for rescues. Probably because she can’t even keep an electronic pet alive—” Cas was cut off when Rylee slapped his shoulder.

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